Ink pad and spreader assembly



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J. A. DoNDERo INK. PAD AND SPREADER ASSEMBLY Fiid Deo. 28, 1942 .25M immun Nov. 13, 1945.

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Patented Nov. 13, 1945l UNITED'S'l'ATES PATENT OFFICE INK PAD AND SPREADER ASSEMBLY John A. Donaoro, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application December 28, 1942, Serial No. 470,390

7 Claims.

This invention concerns an ink pad and spreader assembly, which is particularly adapted for linger print Work,

In nger print work an orderly application of ink is a prerequisite for a good print, be that of a finger, a toe, a palm or any other part of the body. An ordinary ink pad is not particularly suited for such purpose, because the ink supply is there not carefully controlled and there is smudging, also because the user will always press down too hard onto the pad. In order to overcome troubles encountered with the ordinary ink pad, a smooth hard surface coated with a thin lm of ink, e. g. by means of a rubber roller, is frequently used and yields excellent results. But unfortunately any portion of such an inked surface can be used only once for inking, and after that any point of such a surface, at which ink for a print has been taken, must be inked again before it is ready for again inking of a finger etc.

This invention has `the object of overcoming such disadvantages of the prior art, and provides a pad which fully serves .the objects of the prior finger printing art as they are obtained by the aforementioned ink surface, and which pad still permits the same portion thereof to be used for repeated inking of parts of which a print is to betaken.

According to other objects of this invention a r pad thereof is readily replaceable.

Inking means or pads of the prior art generally require soft or resilient spreading means, such as rubber rollers, Sponges, or rubbing means like, daubs, cloth etc. Spreading by rubbing subjects the ink pad, of course, to 'extensive wear and tear, and all yieldable spreading means are ineicient, difficult to keep clean, and impaired by any ink, which cannot readily be wiped off.

Therefore the instant invention provides for avoiding the use of such soft and resilient spreading and rubbing means.`

A further object of this invention provides for the arrangement of a spreaderrmeans in connection with an ink pad incorporating the spreader means in the ink pad assembly, more particularly in a fashion which lends to and facilitates proper application of the spreader means to the ink pad.

These and other objects of the invention will be further explained in the following description of the invention which is given by way of illustration but not in limitati-on of the scope claimed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a device of this invention in a closed position'.

Fig. 2 is a corresponding partly sectioned perspective view of the open device.

Fig. 3 presents a sectional, enlarged section of the ink pad and its support.

Figs. 4 and 5 are bottom and side views, respectively, of a bracket supporting a roller of this invention.

Similar numerals refer to throughout the various views.

An ink pad 'I of this invention generally comprises a base or core 8 supporting on a suitable curved, rigid surface 9 a thin absorbent padding Ill which is conned by a pervious retaining means or screening Il extended thereover.

By way of a specific example of an ink pad l the enlarged detail View of Fig. 3 shows the base or core 8 as a rectangular sheet of plywood and felt, e. g. a cotton felt, has been found serviceable for the absorbent padding I0, `which should not be more than substantially one millimeter in thickness. It is shown to be of the same size as the board of plywood 8 and may be retained thereon, as a whole, by a layer of cement I2. That layer of cement may, if so desired, serve to prevent penetration of the ink into the plywood 8.

l The pervious retaining cover meansV or screening II should be executed in a fine, but strong filament, such as silk or rayon. It may be smoothly strapped over theV padding Ill by being similar parts folded over the side of the plywood board 8 and thereunder, the marginal portions being retained by being clamped between the base or core 8 and a backing I4. If the ink pad l is to be detachable and replaceable, the said marginal portions of the screening I I may be secured upon the underside of the base or core 8 by an adhesive I3. Ink pad I may be retained by wood screws I5 upon the backing I4, which ts tightly, upon' opposite sides, into the bottom portion I 'I of boxv I6, but may be lifted out therefrom, when the ink pad 'I is to be replaced.

The ink assembly 1, I4 is preferably also longitudinally allocated in the box, such purpose being achieved in the showing of the drawing by holes or depressions I9 in the bottom board 20 of box IB, the heads of screws I5 being seated in those holes.

The plane 2|, at which thel walls of the cover portion I8 of box I6 abut upon the walls of the bottom portion I'l extend substantially below the surface of ink pad l, but it slants up at 22 towards the front of box I6.

At the slant 22 a roller 23 projects to roughly half its diameter from the cover portion I8 of the back' I6. That roller 23` has preferably a hard.

smooth surface, being for instance executed in metal or in a rigid plastic. That roller 23 is journalled upon the inside of the box cover portion I8, and for such purpose it is shown to be equipped with trunnions 24 extending from opposite ends thereof. Trunnions 24 are shown to be journalled in brackets 25 mounted upon opposite walls of said cover portion I8, or upon the top board 26 of said portions, or upon both as shown. In the illustration the two brackets 25 are right and left, i. e. they are mirror pictures of each other. Roller 23 should not project so far from the cover portion I8 that it would touch a level support upon which the cover portion I8 may be deposited in an upside up position.

The rear wall 21 of the bottom portion I1 of box I6 shows an undercut 28. An insert 29 of corresponding width, i. e. of the width of the inside of the box, projects out from the rear wall 30 of the cover I'B of the box and is adapted to engage by its concave surface over the convex surface of undercut 28 in detachable hinge fashion. In other words, if the cover I8 is swung down from its raised position of Fig. 2, insert 29 engages over the undercut 28 in hinge fashion, and cover I8 and bottom I1 will engage and close upon each other after the spring catch 3|, which is depressed in and attached upon the front of bottom portion I1, has dropped with its upper, doubly offset end 32 into a corresponding receiving recess 33 in the top front edge of cover I8. The detachable hinge 28, 29 may of course be executed in smaller proportions in metal, and serves to guide the cover in the opening and closing operations and thus to protect the pad 1 from damage, e. g. from being shaved by the inner edges of the cover. Because the pad should extend close to the side walls of the box in order to facilitate inking.

' A small clearance is provided in the box in front of the ink pad 1 and may accommodate a supply spreading roller and on the absorbent ink holding sheet portion of the pad. I have found that a pad sheet of substantially one millimeter in thickness covered by a smooth silk fabric tightly draped and maintained` over the thin absorbent pad sheet portion makes an ideal ink pad for my portable kit. The complete thickness of the sheet and cover therefor should be substantially two millimeters for my special portable kit.

It is also to be noted that the plywood support for the ink holding portion and said portion are shorter than the boxlike sections of the kit and the projecting portions of the wood screws I5 engage the openings I9 in the boxlike bottom 20 and prevent relative longitudinal slippage of said pad and bottom 20. Because the pad is shorter than the box or kit, the ends of the pad are accessible of ink, e. g. a collapsible tube 34 containing an ink paste.

For use of the device a hand may be engaged over the cover I8, swinging such cover from a position of the closed box shown in Fig. l to the open position of Fig. 2. As gripped, the cover` may then immediately be used as a handle for moving roller 23 back and forth over the ink pad 1, thus spreading and distributing the ink contents of padding I0, the ink being supplemented, if so desired, by depositing a small additional supply from tube 34 on the screening. Then the pad 1 is ready for quite a number of applications of ink to portions of bodies to be printed, such portions being deposited upon said pad. For closing the device the operator deposits the cover I8 in` the position shown in Fig. 2 and swings it down until it is engaged by catch 3 I, whereupon the box is closed again.

For replacement the ink pad 1 and the backing I4 are lifted out of the box, screws I5 are loosened and are then engaged upon a new ink pad replacing the old one. The reassembled, new ink pad 1 and backing I4 are reinserted in the box in such fashion, that the heads of screws I5 drop into the holes I9.

It will be observed that my nger print-ing assembly or equipment is a light portable kit when in assembled condition. rAnd when thus assembled and housed evaporation of the ink on and in the pad is reduced to a minimum. Because of the housed condition of my kit when not in use, I

`have discovered that a very thin ink pad sheet for ready removal from the box.

The box sections of the kit are detachably and attachably articulately engaged or interlocked at one end of said kit while the opposite end is detachably latched together. The closely fitting edges of the kit or box sections reduce evaporation of the ink to a minimum.

When the old pad is discarded and to be replaced by a new one, a very small amount of ink is wasted.

Having thus described my invention in detail, yet I do not wish to be limited thereby, except as the state of the art and the appended claims may require, for it is obvious that various modifications and changes may be made in the form of embodiment of my invention, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In an ink pad and spreader assembly, a container comprising a bottom section consisting of a bottom, side and end walls. the one end Wall being of greater height than the other and the adjacent end portions of the side walls increasing gradually in height to terminate in the higher end wall, a complementary top section consisting in a top, side and end walls, the one end wall and the adjacent end portions of the side Walls thereof being respectively reduced and tapered to compensate for and cooperate with the higher end wall and the adjacent portions of the sidewalls of the bottom section, a roller rotatably supported between the tapered portions of the side walls of said top section to project below the tapered portions and adapted to be received between the higher portions of the side walls of thebottom section when the top section 'is applied to the latter, an inking pad removably applied to the bottom section and having portions thereof projecting above the lower portions of the side walls of said bottom section, the ends of said padv being spaced from the end walls of said bottom section, and means for detachably hinging the end of the topsection opposed to that carrying said roller to the lower end wall of thelbottom section.

2. In finger printing equipment, the' substructure comprising a housed and protected ink pad, said pad having a base defining a smooth'V attach- Ving portion for a thin sheet of absorbent material, said sheet being adhesively and coextensively'attached to said attaching portion in combination with a vsmooth cover means draped tightlyand smoothly over saidV sheet and secured in-position thereon, said sheet being substantially one millimeter in thickness, whereby a` minimumof ink is required to prepare the pad for efcient finger printing. c

3. vIn nnger printing equipment, the substructure comprising' a pad yhaving a smooth rigid surface portion having a thin felted cotton absorbent sheet secured thereto by a suitable adhesive, said sheet being coextensive with said surface portion, said sheet being covered by a smooth silken fabric, said fabric being suitably secured to said pad, said sheet and said fabric combined being more than one millimeter in thickness and not more than two millimeters in thickness, whereby a minimum amount of ink is necessary to efficiently ink said pad for iinger printing.

4. Finger printing equipment comprising a boxlike kit having complemental sections forming a housing for an inking pad and an ink spreader for said pad, said sections having meeting peripheral edges located in intersecting planes deiining a shallow end section and a taller end section, in combination with an inking pad of less length than said sections located partly in and supported by one section, said shallow end section having bearing brackets supporting an ink spreader roller having journals supported in said bearing brackets, said section supporting said roller constituting a handle for manipulating said roller to spread the ink evenly on said pad, said section having the taller end is provided with openings in its bottom, said pad having projections engaging said openings to prevent longitudinal displacement of said pad in said section, said sections having cooperating means whereby said sections may be detachably secured together in a condition housing said pad and spreader, thereby reducing to a minimum the evaporation of ink on said pad.

5. In iinger printing equipment, the substructure comprising a box-like section having a top, side and end edges, said edges lying in intersecting planes, one ofsaid planes defining a shallow end on said section, said shallow end having bearing brackets secured thereto in combination `with an ink spreading roller having journals 1ocated in said bearing brackets, said section having fasteners on its ends adapted to detachably engage complemental fasteners on another box-like section.

6. In finger printing equipment, the substructure comprising a box-like section having a. bottom, `side and end edges, said edges defining planes having an intersecting relation to each other, one end of said section being taller than the remainder of said section and defining a more extensive housing portion than the remainder of said section in combination With an inking pad located in said section intermediate the ends thereof, said bottom having openings therein, said pad having projections engaging said openings to prevent longitudinal displacement of said pad relative to said section, said section having fasteners on its ends complementa] to fasteners on the ends of another section.

7. The construction set forth in claim 6 in which said pad is provided with an absorbent sheet securedadhesively to said pad in further combination with a silken cover means smoothly draped over said sheet and secured to said pad, said sheet being substantially one millimeter in thickness whereby the application of a small amount of ink to said pad will efficiently saturate said pad for finger printing purposes.

` JOHN A. DONDERO. 

